Review Stillpoints Ultra SS speakers/subwoofers
Since a few months I use the Ultra SS under my speakers ( Monitor Audio PL-200) and subwoofer. ( Monitor Audio PLW-15) There is one important thing I learned; how much quality you loose with spikes. Like details are floating away.
I have done thousend of tests in audio in over 16 years of time. The main reason is to know and understand the properties of these tools. When you are aware of the properties you can use them to the max.
Every single tool ( speaker, amp, source, cable, conditioner, vibration controlers etc) owns his own properties. Together with the acoustics and electricity of the room you get the overall sound.
The Ultra SS gave me new oppertunities to influence the overall sound I had. These options gave me more freedom to reach an even higher level of the overall sound.
In the last 7 years I put a lot of focus on 3 dimensional sound. Because this part is the most thrilling and convincing part of highend audio. Stillpoints and the Ultra SS as well improves this part dramaticly. It makes the stage wider and deeper. But instruments and voices stil keep the right proportions. The individual focus of instruments and voices become a lot more apparent. The same thing can be said about the black level. It makes focussing on just one part of the recording more easy.
I played a song I know well first with spikes on my speakers. The same song I played with the Ultra SS. In only 2 seconds you are aware of how big the differences are with them. The first thing what amazed me is how much more air and openness there is. You even hear new details.
It lowers the noise floor. You can even play louder with less stress. It sounds more relaxt even in the mid freq. Like all the colours of the mid freq. are more defined.
But what amazed me most was the difference in timing. Like you are re-clocking your whole set. The difference in speed stunning. Beside that the control is a lot better and you hear more layers, the energy you can feel is what brings the overall sound to a 'new' level. Now you even can feel the energy of the strings of a cello. ( even at low level) It made listening to my beloved music even more addictive than it already was.
With my subwoofer (Monitor Audio PLW-15) the differences were stunning as well. My subwoofer uses a 15 inch speaker unit made of ceramics and alluminium. ( weight 18.5 kilo) This give it in his price range one of the or even the fastest responses. Together with the Ultra SS the timing is fast like a rocket. It gives you a much more natural sounding low freq. The level of what I call stealth integration with the speakers is even got better. Very small details like strings you can feel the energy. Even at very low levels. This 'new' speed gives you so much more pleasure during listening.
Beside the big improvements in sound they look stunning. I had them in my hands for a long time. Only to see how they are made and feel. Even on my speakers and Subwoofer it looks stunning. Like they belong to the speakers and subwoofer.
What keeps comming back in my mind is why speaker manufacturers still use spikes for there speakers and subwoofers. Especially the more espensive speakers. You loose too much quality in the overall sound.
These Ultra SS Stillpoints have become a new tool what gives me the opportunity to reach an even higher endresult in the overall sound. When I would have know that they are this good I would have bought them a long time ago.
